Communication (B.A.)

This undergraduate program is offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Faculty

Dr. Jamey Piland, Associate Professor of Communication (Program chair)
Ms. Sherron Washington, Visiting Instructor of Communication

Description

The Communication Program at Trinity examines communication among people and groups in formal and informal settings. Students explore various aspects of human behavior, including how people communicate, build relationships, make decisions, and work together in small groups and teams. Coursework focuses on the study of professional and personal relationships and explores such issues as conflict, decision-making, culture and social identity, gender, leadership, problem solving, media, civil discourse, social justice, and strategic communication.

The Program provides the theoretical bases of human communication and the application of theory within several specific contexts. Students strengthen their written, oral, and critical communication skills through coursework that emphasizes interpersonal interaction and human relationships, organizational and institutional communication, public discourse, and mass communication.

Communication is a flexible and applied major that prepares students to connect classroom learning with the skills needed for professional, civic, and community life. Through courses in interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, public speaking, media, public relations, organizational communication, conflict, leadership, and digital communication, students develop strong abilities in writing, speaking, research, audience analysis, collaboration, message design, ethical communication, and strategic problem solving. These skills prepare students for career pathways in journalism, public relations, media and digital communication, event and brand experience, human resources, law and public policy, government and advocacy, nonprofit and community-based organizations, public health, global affairs, and social justice work. The major also supports students who want to use communication to foster civil discourse, build inclusive communities, strengthen organizations, and participate in social change.

Undergraduate study in Communication can assist students in pursuing advanced studies for a variety of careers including law, crisis communication, public policy, sustainability, dispute resolution, applied community development, the ministry, and higher education. Undergraduate students majoring in the Communication Program are encouraged to take course work in other fields and programs; typical areas for minors and double majors in recent years have included Business Administration, Political Science, Global Affairs, Women’s Studies, Environmental Justice, and Information Technology.

Internships are a vital part of the communication major. Students in the Communication Program take advantage of the many internship and field-based opportunities available in Washington, D.C.

Recent internships include prestigious organizations such as Voice of America, CBS, ABC, CNN, C-SPAN, Kennedy Center, Strathmore, National Museum for Women in the Arts, Smithsonian Museums, Washington Nationals, Washington Mystics, Washington Spirit, Emily’s List, Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), as well as, nonprofit organizations, NGOs, public policy organizations, public relations firms, law firms, lobbying groups, political action committees, and state and federal government.

The Communication Program offers a major and minor to students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The major consists of six required courses, six elective courses, two courses to be taken as co-requisites, and a directed internship. All Communication majors are encouraged to minor in programs related to their personal and career interests. The minor in Communication consists of six courses and matches well with many majors, including Business Administration, Global Affairs, Education, Criminal Justice, and Nursing. The Communication Program also offers a concentration in Event and Brand Experience.

Event and Brand Experience Concentration

The Event Branding and Engagement concentration in the Communication Program at Trinity prepares students to design and deliver communication in environments where messaging is experienced in real time through audience interaction and engagement.

Students explore how organizations, brands, and destinations use events and experiences to communicate across live, digital, and hybrid environments. The concentration emphasizes audience engagement, message design, brand alignment, and real-time interaction. Students also examine how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, support communication strategy, enhance audience engagement, and inform decision-making within event and experience-based environments.

Graduates are prepared for opportunities in event marketing, brand experience, audience engagement, and related communication fields. Students who choose the Event Branding and Brand Experience concentration must complete all requirements for the Communication major as well as the following coursework.

Event and Brand Experience Required Courses :

COM 250 Public Relations I
COM 345 Event & Brand Experience
COM 465 Integrated Marketing Communication

Select TWO of the following:

COM 355 Communication, Technology and Design
COM 370 Publicity and Media Relations
COM 375 Conflict and Communication
COM 482 Leadership and Communication

Communication Major Requirements

Required Courses (24 credits)

ALL of the following courses:
COM 150 Critical Reasoning and Oral Argumentation or PHIL 150 Critical Reasoning and Oral Argumentation
COM 201 Interpersonal Communication
COM 225 Intercultural Communication
COM 290 Public Speaking
COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed Internship
COM 488 Senior Seminar: Communication

ONE additional course in Statistics
MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics

ONE course in Research Methods
SSC 350 Interdisciplinary Research Methods

Elective Courses (18 credits)

TWO of the following courses:
COM 250 Public Relations I
COM 305 Minority Images in American Media
COM 370 Publicity and Media Relations
COM 383 Journalism

TWO of the following courses:
COM 315 Management Communication
COM 360 Small Group Communication
COM 375 Conflict and Communication
COM 388 Gender and Communication

TWO of the following courses:
COM 345 Event & Brand Experience
COM 355 Communication, Technology and Design
COM 380 The Role of the Media in Society
COM 385 Organizational Communication
COM 420 Mass Media Law
COM 450 Women In Organizations
COM 465 Integrated Marketing Communication
COM 482 Leadership and Communication

Minor Requirements

Required Courses (18 credits)

BOTH of the following courses:
COM 201 Interpersonal Communication
COM 225 Intercultural Communication

FOUR additional communications courses, excluding COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed Internship and COM 488 Senior Seminar: Communication

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the communication major or minor.

CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the communication major or minor.

Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.

Pass/No Pass:
No course fulfilling major requirements in the communication program may be taken Pass/No Pass, with the exception of COM 391 which is graded Pass/No Pass.

Senior Assessment:
Students will complete a comprehensive assessment in the Senior Seminar. The comprehensive assessment will include the preparation of a communication research project on a topic approved by the professor. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better on this project.

Study Abroad:
Students should take advantage of the many communication related study abroad programs.

TELL Policy:
Students may apply a maximum of 12 credits to major requirements earned through TELL.

Transfer Credits: Transfer credit will be awarded after appropriate program review and approval.

Course Descriptions

[catalog-courses]

COM 101 Introduction to Comm. & Public Speaking
COM 150 Critical Reasoning and Oral Argumentation or PHIL 150 Critical Reasoning and Oral Argumentation
COM 201 Interpersonal Communication
COM 225 Intercultural Communication
COM 250 Public Relations I
COM 265 Introduction to Mass Communication
COM 290 Public Speaking
COM 305 Minority Images in American Media
COM 315 Management Communication
COM 335 International Communication
COM 345 Event & Brand Experience
COM 355 Communication, Technology and Design
COM 360 Small Group Communication
COM 370 Publicity and Media Relations
COM 375 Conflict and Communication
COM 380 The Role of the Media in Society
COM 383 Journalism
COM 385 Organizational Communication
COM 388 Gender and Communication
COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed Internship
COM 415 Conflict in the Workplace
COM 420 Mass Media Law
COM 450 Women In Organizations
COM 465 Integrated Marketing Communication
COM 482 Leadership and Communication
COM 488 Senior Seminar: Communication
MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics
SSC 350 Interdisciplinary Research Methods